


The One Thing

by myemergence



Category: The Rookie (TV 2018)
Genre: Becoming Parents, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Soft Tim
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26065795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myemergence/pseuds/myemergence
Summary: Tim's nervous about becoming a dad, and Lucy figures out a way to help him through it.
Relationships: Tim Bradford/Lucy Chen
Comments: 6
Kudos: 88





	The One Thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [firstdegreefangirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/firstdegreefangirl/gifts).



> This was an idea I mentioned to Katie about a month ago, when I really started getting into the Rookie but vowing that I would never write. As usual, Katie was right and I did write it, as a birthday gift for her. Hope you enjoy it, babe.
> 
> Lyrics at the end of the story are from Spaceship by Andy Grammer which I just stumbled on for the first time last night and absolutely LOVE.

“Look, I’m not telling you _what_ you have to do. I’m just saying that you have to do something before he drives me crazy,” Angela says with an exasperated roll of her eyes, shifting her body towards Lucy with a mug of coffee between her hands. “This is outside of the ‘best friend’ job description and falls very squarely in the fiancée category.”

Lucy knows that Tim has been a _little_ on edge and uptight lately. He’s been insisting that she eat more at every meal, following her around the house and asking what he can do to help her. It’s sweet, really it is— but it’s like he doesn’t know what he can actually do to help.

It’s driving him nuts, and everyone else around him.

Most of all Lucy.

* * *

“Come on, Jackson,” Lucy pushes around the rest of her salad as she looks over at him from across the table. “Will you please at least help me look? I’ve tried all of the libraries and _nothing_. Tell me the last time we went out shopping together.”

“I’m pretty sure it was for your engagement party, Luce. Point is they’re not going to have books on tape for that at Target,” Jackson explains as he sets his fork down and she’s tempted to throw a tantrum over it. She loves Tim, she has for several years now. If she’s being honest with herself, it wasn’t too long after he literally saved her life when he rescued her from Caleb that she realized it. He was so caring with her after, it was like the air around them and everything else shifted. 

She loves him and she has to figure out how to help him before she _kills_ him. Before they get married and most importantly before they bring their twins into the world.

“I think you’re going to have to be a little creative about this,” Jackson tells her. “Think outside the box.”

Lucy rolls her bottom lip between her teeth before she picks her smoothie up from the table. “I have an idea, but I might need your help.”

* * *

“Where’s Tim?” Jackson asks as he walks into the living room where Lucy has her feet propped up, one hand resting on top of her rounded belly. 

“He’s working a stakeout,” she answers with a small yawn, reaching blindly for the bowl of popcorn that’s tucked behind her legs. Lucy narrows her eyes when she hears Jackson snort a laugh. “What?”

“Obviously you break out the movie theater popcorn when Tim’s not here to take it away.” Lucy shifts up on the couch, grabbing the bowl and holding it protectively, making room for Jackson where her feet were. “Anyway, we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

“Jackson, it’s fine to have a treat, and doing it when he’s not here will drive us _both_ a little less crazy. I can’t live on kale anymore.” She pops a few pieces of popcorn into her mouth before reluctantly extending the bowl to him. He shakes his head, making it clear that he’s not going to take the snack away from her, or from the babies. Lucy smiles before she digs back in, popping a few salty pieces into her mouth. “You said we have our work cut out for us. What’s that mean?”

“Well,” Jackson drags a large paper bag over to the edge of the couch before he sits down, pulling Lucy’s feet into his lap. “You said to get you what they had and you’d dig through it. But there’s way more than just one or two books, so I kind of bought them all?”

Lucy manages to huff out a laugh. “How many books are we talking about?”

“Five.”

“ _Five_ books Jackson? I _can’t_ —” Lucy turns and sets the bowl down on the coffee table before she pulls her feet away from Jackson’s lap. She looks at him closely, feeling the tension in her shoulders immediately. “How am I supposed to read five books and get this ready for him in the next _week_?”

“With a little help.” He assures her, taking advantage of the space on the couch between them and scooting closer before he rests and arm over her shoulders and pulls her into a one-armed hug. “I brought highlighters and we’ll find the important parts, okay?”

“This is really thoughtful, and I love that you’re trying to help me with this. But _this_ ,” she motions at the bag of books at his feet. “It’s just not possible in a matter of _days_ .” Lucy bends forward for effect and grabs _What to Expect When You’re Expecting_ and waves it in front of him. “This is as big as the freaking _bible._ ”

Jackson chuckles at that. “Luce—”

“And now you’re laughing. I can’t believe this,” she mutters, feeling tears prick at her eyes and knowing that she is being ridiculous, but not being able to stop the feeling of overwhelm from taking over. “I—” 

As the doorbell rings, Jackson runs a soothing hand over her arm before he presses a quick kiss to her cheek. “I’ll be right back.” When he returns, he’s not alone. Nolan, Sterling, Angela, and Wes are all with him and she can’t understand _why_. “You can do this because you’re not doing this alone. We’ve got you.”

She opens her mouth to speak and hears the sound of her own wet laugh. “I thought you said this wasn’t best friend territory,” Lucy says to Angela.

“ _We_ are looking through these books,” Angela says after a minute, ignoring her question. “While you focus on the important part, the part that only his fiancée can do.”

“The important part?”

“What _you_ want to say to Tim. Y’know, remind him of all of the reasons he’s gonna be a great dad. I think he needs to hear _that_ more than anything one of these books is going to tell him.”

Angela passes out the books to their friends as they all settle in with a highlighter, getting comfortable for a late night of reading and studying. Lucy clears her throat, swallowing down the emotion of it all; knowing that she has friends who would do anything to help her—to help them—friends that will do the same for their babies in only a few months. “Um, I’m gonna go put a pot of coffee on.”

Wes glances up from his book with a smile. “You’re having decaf, right? Page 3 says you should limit your caffeine consumption, and you want to be able to get enough sleep later on.”

Lucy laughs easy this time. “Decaf tea for me. Thanks, guys,” she says, and she prays that the words are enough.

* * *

Reading the information from a book for Tim is the easy part. Her friends have helped her to get all of the important information prepared so that she can record it for him. That was the whole idea behind all of this, but she feels like she needs to say the right thing now, the most meaningful things.

She glances down at the notebook that she’s been making notes in and takes a deep breath and then presses record. 

“Hey baby, it’s me. I know this is kind of weird, for you to not only hear me reading you excerpts from books about pregnancy and early parenthood, but for me to just _talk to you_ like this. I’m sure I’ll make it even weirder like I usually do.” Lucy chuckles as she glances down at the notebook, doodling a flower in the corner to try to distract herself from the fact that Tim isn’t actually here. “I love that you’re trying so hard, that you want to be such a good dad. Just the fact that you care that much, it tells me everything I need to know about the kind of dad that you’re going to be.

“I know we talked about it before, about how we’d probably never have a family with our careers. I know this wasn’t expected, but the Tim Bradford I know thinks best on his feet. Nothing intimidates him, and he’s cool under pressure and he remembers every important detail to keep the people around him safe. I know you’ll help to keep _me_ calm, you’ll make me a better mom. And together? 

“We’ll be unstoppable, baby.”

* * *

Lucy draws out a long yawn as she stretches in bed. “You don’t have to wait up for me. You need your sleep.” She blinks her eyes slowly at his words, smiling at the sound of Tim’s concerned voice on the other end of the line.

“I’m fine,” she promises. He’s been increasingly protective of her in the last few weeks, especially since they found out that she’s carrying twins. “Besides, I want to see you before I go to sleep.”

“This has nothing to do with the surprise that you left for me before your appointment this morning?” Tim asks, and he sounds amused, yet so incredibly fond that it almost takes her breath away.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“ _Boot_.”

Lucy giggles into the phone as she rolls onto her side, running a hand over the curve of her belly, looking at the empty half of the bed beside her. “You haven’t called me that in at least six months, Officer Bradford.” 

“Don’t lie to me,” Tim’s words are firm, but she can hear the smile behind them. Then she hears a car door close, a jingling of keys as he lets himself into their home.

“I would never lie to a police officer.” Lucy’s eyes close as she continues to move her hand over the curve of her stomach. She doesn’t hear Tim say anything else as her hand stills on her stomach, her entire body sinking into the comfort of their bed, of knowing that he made it home safely. She feels a light brush of lips against her forehead and she murmurs something before forcing her eyes open. “Why’d you stop talking?”

Tim laughs as he draws back the sheet and comforter on his side of the bed before he slides in easily. “Sweetheart, you passed _out_.”

“I did not. I was talking to you and you stopped.” Lucy scoots forward on the bed, slotting their knees together, resting her head on the edge of his pillow and Tim glances heavenward for a second.

“Whatever you say, Luce,” Tim chuckles as he kisses her nose, then cradles her cheek. “You are such a bed hog.” Though his words are an accusation, the smile that spreads across his face tells Lucy that he’s not actually complaining about it. 

“I can move.” Tim drops a hand to her stomach, moving over the curve before he kisses her on the lips once more, shifting himself down on the bed until his head rests on her stomach. Moving her tank top above her belly as he places a light kiss against the skin there that makes her shiver.

“You know, your mom knows me better than anyone,” Lucy’s forehead creases at first like she’s going to ask him how it’s possible that her mom, who he’s only had a conversation with a few times before could possibly know him better than anyone.

But he continues to speak, his voice soft around the edges in a way that she’s never heard before. 

“She knows how much I want to be there for you guys, do the best that I can. But I can be a little _insufferable_ when I don’t know what ‘the best’ is or how to do that. She recorded something for me and one of the things that she told me was how much babies like you two love being talked to, and sung to.” 

Lucy sniffles, dropping a hand to the top of his head and gently running her fingers through his short locks of hair, his lips nearly brushing her bump as he sings quietly to their babies.

**_Damn, you growing fast, it's like you in a rush_ **

**_Don't know if you can hear, that's why I get close_ **

**_Singing to her belly just to let you know_ **

**_Somebody loves you, you got a friend_ **

**_Even if you don't know it yet_ **

It’s perfectly off-pitch and imperfect, the way that their life and relationship have always been; a little rocky, leaving enough space for them to meet somewhere in the middle.

Lucy’s eyes close as she settles into the feeling of Tim beside her, his fingers a lingering presence against her skin. The one thing she knows for sure is that they can do anything together—including parenthood. 

  
  



End file.
